Poor man's "MULE"? Help please.

I'm looking for a small EDC "mule" type light and have come up empty handed.
As a progressing flashaholic i am finding that my needs for a close range, total flood/no hotspot type of beam are becoming more and more demanding.
I know of a few options for a light of this nature but they are waaaay out of my $$ range.
So basically i am asking the great CPF mind if they can offer up any suggestions to help me out.

Some parameters would include:
CR123 format
Multi level?
Neutral/warm tint
Mod an existing light?

Thanks for any help .

See "Zebralight..." :thumbsup: H30Q5 for 49.00 or so, is the cr123 variant. I bought the H501w "AA" sized, it will take any AA sized battery you can stuff into it, NiCad, NiMh, alkaline, or 3.7v 14500 lithium, and the warm tint is wonderful...

chaoss said:

I'm looking for a small EDC
CR123 format
Multi level?
Neutral/warm tint

Click to expand...

^ almost every popular flashlight here.

All you need to do is get the flashlight you want, and to turn it into a mule
just remove the reflector.
Instant Mule of the flashlight that fits your needs.

The upcoming Zebralight SC30F with warm tint should meet your requirements.

The Romisen RC N3 II warm white may suit you, just remove the head and you have a pure flooder.

Quark RGB neutral white maybe? Very floody beam and you can lego in a 1xCR123 tube and use an RCR123 if you need it to be more compact than it already is. :shrug:

The Mule head for the Surefire L1?

chaoss said:

I know of a few options for a light of this nature but they are waaaay out of my $$ range.

Some parameters would include:
CR123 format
Multi level?
Neutral/warm tint
Mod an existing light?

Thanks for any help .

Click to expand...

Romisen RC N3 II warm white 2 mode, can run on 2xAAs or 1xCR/RCR123, its available at shiningbeam.com and you might want to email Bryan (contact details on the site) to confirm that the RC N3 II warm white can be converted into a flooder by removing the bezel (as my version is the single mode).

By the way, you never mentioned your budget.

GarageBoy said:

The Mule head for the Surefire L1?

Click to expand...

I think ArcMania or who is the custom builder who has these?

If I am not mistaken arent these like over $100?

Thanks,
bigC

The options all will compromise watertightness. Except the zebralight. Anothere option is diffused lense such as the ldf offered by flashlightlense.com, scotch tape or sanding plastic lenses.

bigchelis said:

I think ArcMania or who is the custom builder who has these?

If I am not mistaken arent these like over $100?

Thanks,
bigC

Click to expand...

Actually it's McGizmo's design. The whole "mule" concept and inception (as far as I'm aware of) can be credited to McGizmo. It all started with his Mule PD in 2007:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/150974

Here's his sale thread for the Surefire L1 Mule heads: The entire Mule head and "dumb" light engine goes for $90 plus shipping
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/195988

Old thread: Poor man´s Mule

Why not buy a beam diffuser?

The caps on camping propane cells (ie Coleman) will fit over any 1" diameter bezel. I use these to protect the lens on my small unholstered lights and they also double as a beam diffuser.

Here is my take on the Poor man's "MULE" concept.

Pick up a used L0D-CE or LD01. Open the head and modify the reflector: Remove the reflector and measure the height. Use a saw and file to remove the back portion of the reflector, until it is about 1/3 of the original height. Make a copper slug to raise the LED by the difference (accounting for the original LED position). Texture the reflector with some Krylon clear, and install it back into the head. (It is basically just to hold the window in place at this point.) Use thermal epoxy to adhere the LED, making sure to center the LED within the reflector. Watch the polarity of the LED, and solder the leads in place when the epoxy has fully cured. (You may need to lengthen the leads to the LED.) There you go... A budget friendly Pocket "Mule". I am working on something similar for myself.

This basic concept could be applied to nearly any light, assuming that there is a means to keep the window retained, and that the LED is close enough to the window to allow for wide beam.

Great information folks and i am looking into it all.

It would seem (from a "true" mule standpoint) that the LED would have to be positioned directly under the lens to achieve a pure flood presentation.
I have already contacted a "modder" to see if something like this could be done to my Arc6 to make this a reality, we will see.

I'm wondering why this type of light isn't more popular, mainstream .

Anyway, my search will continue and thanks again.

I think this type of light is popular, I own four now... more if you count the Lunasols. Throw and high lumen numbers get the press, it seems, but there is nothing like even flood for doing close up work.

My "World's Cheapest Mule" mod:
1x AA MiniMag
1x MiniMag Nite-Ize Luxeon dropin and IQ tailcap switch, purchased together
1x MiniMag Nite-Ize LED cluster dropin and reflector; can be purchased with a clicky switch

You use the Luxeon (or a Terralux Cree module) and the reflector for the Nite-Ize cluster. This maintains watertightness of the light, and disables the head twisty switch. Something like this will cost between $30 and $40.

roguesw said:

All you need to do is get the flashlight you want, and to turn it into a mule
just remove the reflector.
Instant Mule of the flashlight that fits your needs.

Click to expand...

No need!

Just apply some 3M frosted cellu tape on the inside of the lens and youre in buisness. Just tried it on an 3W Cree Ultrafire, turned it from spot to a very nice flood without any sign of a hotspot:wave: